Hurricane Katrina telethon KANYE WEST

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Posted by JPC1125

are y'all just upset at the event he chose to air his comments on or the comment themselves?

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The event he chose to air his comments. He can hate the Pres. all he wants but do it some where else!!!!!!

I did not see this but got a call about it and this post so I looked up the details.

link to article

Kanye West Rips Bush During NBC Telethon

It began, fittingly enough, with jazz from New Orleans natives Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis. But 'A Concert for Hurricane Relief,' a heartfelt and dignified benefit aired on NBC and other networks last night (Sept. 2), took an unexpected turn thanks to the outspoken rapper Kanye West.

Appearing two-thirds through the program, he claimed 'George Bush doesn't care about black people' and said America is set up 'to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible.'

The show, simulcast from New York on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, was aired live to the East Coast, enabling the Grammy-winning rapper's outburst to go out uncensored. There was a several-second tape delay, but the person in charge 'was instructed to listen for a curse word, and didn't realize [West] had gone off-script,' said an NBC spokesperson.

West's comment about the president was cut from NBC's West Coast airing, which showed three hours later on tape.

Comedian Mike Myers was paired with West for a 90-second segment that began with Myers speaking of Katrina's devastation. Then, to Myers' evident surprise, West began a rant by saying, 'I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food.'

While allowing that 'the Red Cross is doing everything they can,' West declared that government authorities are intentionally dragging their feet on aid to the Gulf Coast. Without getting specific, he added, 'They've given them permission to go down and shoot us.' After he stated, 'George Bush doesn't care about black people,' the camera cut away to comedian Chris Tucker.

Concluding the hour a few minutes later, host Matt Lauer noted, 'emotions in this country right now are running very high. Sometimes that emotion is translated into inspiration, sometimes into criticism. We've heard some of that tonight. But it's still part of the American way of life.' Then the entire ensemble performed 'When the Saints Go Marching In.'

In a statement, NBC said, 'Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks.

'It would be most unfortunate,' the statement continued, 'if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion.'

During the show, viewers were encouraged to contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by phone or on the Web. Some 18 presenters performed musical numbers or gave information on the tragedy's huge scope.

Louisiana native Tim McGraw teared up as he told Lauer, 'I know the citizens that weren't affected by this directly are gonna stand up and do good things for people.' He sang two songs, then became the first of the evening's stars to sign a Gibson Les Paul Special guitar to be auctioned online.

Faith Hill, a Mississippi native, sang 'There Will Come a Time,' with the inspiring lyrics, 'The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong. Hold on to your faith.' New Orleans son Aaron Neville performed Randy Newman's soulful 'Louisiana 1927' with the memorable chorus, 'they're trying to wash us away, they're trying to wash us away.'

New York governor George Pataki presented the Red Cross with a check for $2.5 million and promised, 'This great state will do far more.'


****I am not sure how Kanye enunciated his speech so if he did sound like he is not educated - maybe it's because he was is a horrible car accident and had to have his mouth WIRED SHUT and his face RECONSTRUCTED I have never heard him speak so I am not sure if he normally speaks more clearly.

Then again, he likely did not practice his 'speech' knowing he only has a specific amount of time to read what was scripted. He probably spoke purely out of anger - which probably led to him sounding like he is not educated or 'stupid' This is all my assumption though.

But I digress. As far as his comments, we ALL KNOW that leaving people trapped with no food, no water, living amongst dead and decaying bodies and probably sleeping in their own feces (in hospital beds) would NOT happen in NYC. If this were happening in Chappaqua help would have arrived within HOURS.

The media is portraying the Black Americans as stealing food, water and supplies (one woman had diapers for her baby) and I have personally seen news report with White Americans looting but they are said to have 'found' food, water and supplies.

I do hope that this is not a race issue but more of a class issue. Not that it is more acceptable to allow the poor to live like animals but at least it would make me, an African American woman, feel like our government is not still treating African Americans like it's 1795 instead of 2005

Bush made some comment about being satisfied with the efforts - and this was two days ago when thousands were still trapped with no food, water or medical supplies. He has since retracted that statement and said it was unacceptable and the efforts will be doubled.

Bush also made a statement about rebuilding Trent Lott's home - this was a few days ago as well. People are starving, drowning and trapped but he was concerned about Trent Lott's second (or third) home in Mississippi (or wherever the house is)

When 9/11 happened, we had help within hours. I was 6 blocks away and the police, fire departments and even military all showed up within hours.

My friend's parents are trapped in a hospital. Her mom is a pharmacist and could not evacuate. The rest of her family did leave. But her parents are in the hospital with bodies piled up in the hallways

In this situation it has taken damn near a week to get them help. And they had the nerve to bring in portable toilets to the stadium - 5 days later and now that most of the people are evacuated

Whether it's about race or class does not matter.......either way it's unacceptable for this to happen in America.

I didn't see the telethon and I'm not afan of Kanye (although what girl can't love 'Diamonds are forever'? ) but I will say this...on a visit to London not so long ago, Bush, our President, made the following statement to Tony Blair: 'Oh, you have black people too?'...it was then reported that his statement implied 'the problem of black people' but again, this isn't about race.
I do strongly believe that it's about class...rich vs. poor. The reason why they couldn't live is because they had nowhere to go. Ignorance could have cost them their lives...but if you live, breath and eat poverty and violence you would also think differently. Have any of you had to evacuate your homes because of a hurricane? I have, and it's not the easiest decision to make. You have to abandon everything you have - leave it behind knowing that you may never see it again. To some people that was too much because they worked really hard to have so little. And I bet the ones that left are regretting that decision becuase no one deserves to be trapped and not fed, given water or have to see and smell feces with thousands of strangers.

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Posted by TimmysGirl

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Posted by mikeysgirl

You should have heard him reading off the teleprompter, maybe he should have finished school and learned to read. What a moron. I am sitting here watching in tears, and he has the nerve to ruin the show b/c he is a racist.

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Well, I guess I'll start the argument by not agreeing with some of these posts...

Let me preface this by saying that I am not a fan of Kanye West...

Now, with that said, why is he considered a racst? Because he spoke his mind? He is seeing images of THOUSANDS of displaced blacks that have not received ANY relief in 3 to 4 days! I'm sorry to say this but the harsh reality is that New Orleans is two-thirds percent Black and one-third of the citys occupants fall BELOW the poverty line making them number 63 out of 69 citys in the US that are poor.

It is a SAD reality that had this happened in a predominantly white middle upper class neighborhood, relief would have been there within HOURS not DAYS.

I, mean come on, it took Bush 4 DAYS to even go out and see the mass DEVESTATION that has happened in that area.

All this is, is a wake up call that ALL things are NOT Equal!

Now, I am not saying it is only a Black thing but it IS a CLASS thing... The people down that are still stuck down there swimming in feces, walking amognst the dead, hungry with no food, clean water or clean clothes are POOR people! And are MAJORITY BLACK...

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Preach IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe my thoughts are simplistic at best but here it goes....

I am not a Kanye West fan. I do feel after watching the video, that he was not well thought out but he WAS sincere. He sounded choked up and genuine but could have conveyed his message better had he chosen his words more carefully. Instead, he may have alienated people of ALL races.

It concerns me that it has become an issue of race. Yes it s u c k s that so many people were killed or affected by this disaster. Yes it happens to be that this city is poor an predominantly African-American. Perhaps Kanye should have viewed this as more of an AMERICAN problem instead of saying 'our people'. Americans are EVERYONE's people. Many tears are shed up here and all over the country by ALL people of ALL races who feel so badly about this. I know I cried a few myself.

This is one of the most horrific acts of G-d I have ever seen. But people should NOT be surprised that the American government isnt quick to react to crises. They sat by idly about 65+ years ago when MY ancestors were being eradicated and THAT could have been prevented. It has happened many times since then and will continue to happen unless we get strong people in office.